1939 Major League Baseball season

February 2024 1939 1939 MLB season American League (AL)National League (NL) Baseball Regular season: April 18 – October 1, 1939 (AL) April 17 – October 1, 1939 (NL)World Series: October 4–8, 1939 154 16 (8 per league) Regular season AL: Joe DiMaggio (NYY)NL: Bucky Walters (CIN) Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award AL New York Yankees Boston Red Sox NL Cincinnati Reds St. Louis Cardinals World Series 1939 World Series New York Yankees Cincinnati Reds List of MLB seasons MLB 1938 Major League Baseball season 1938 1940 Major League Baseball season 1940 The 1939 major league baseball season began on April 17, 1939. The regular season ended on October 1, with the Cincinnati Reds and New York Yankees as the regular season champions of the National League and American League, respectively. The postseason began with Game 1 of the 36th World Series on October 4 and ended with Game 4 on October 8. The Yankees swept the Reds in four games, capturing their eighth championship in franchise history, and their last in a four-World Series run, becoming the first team to win four consecutive World Series. The seventh All-Star Game was held on July 11 at Yankee Stadium in New York, New York, home of the New York Yankees. The American League won, 3–1. Schedule Major League Baseball schedule The 1939 schedule consisted of 154 games for all teams in the American League and National League, each of which had eight teams. Each team was scheduled to play 22 games against the other seven teams of their respective league. This continued the format put in place since the 1904 season (except for 1919) and would be used until 1961 in the American League and 1962 in the National League. National League Opening Day took place on April 17 with a game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinnati Reds, while American League Opening Day took place on the following day, with a game between the Chicago White Sox and Detroit Tigers. This continued the trend from the previous season which saw both leagues opened on different days. It was the first season since 1901 that saw both leagues open with just one game each. The final day of the regular season was on October 1 and featured twelve teams. The World Series took place between October 4 and October 8. Rule change The 1939 season saw the following rule change: The scoring sacrifice fly, exempting a batter from a time at bat when a runner scored after the putout on a fly ball, was restored for the first time since its elimination in 1931. This would last only one season.Schwartz John The Sacrifice Fly Society for American Baseball Research https://sabr.org/journal/article/the-sacrifice-fly/ 2024-05-28 en-US Similar to the infield fly rule, now an umpire could make a judgment about an outfield fly ball. If it is judged that an outfielder intentionally drops a fly ball or line drive, the umpire shall immediately rule the ball has been caught. Like the infield fly rule, this only applies when there are less than two outs, and runners occupying at least first and second base.Long Jason C. 1938 Winter Meetings: Out of the Hat Society for American Baseball Research https://sabr.org/journal/article/1938-winter-meetings-out-of-the-hat/ 2025-05-19 en-US Pitchers can now start with only his pivot foot on or making contact in front of the pitching rubber. In the American League: Night games were now approved, with up to seven night games allowed per team, though teams could not play at night on Saturdays, Sundays, holidays, nor could they start an inning after 11:50p.m.. Baseballs would now match the National League's stitching. Teams An asterisk (*) denotes the ballpark a team played the minority of their home games at LeagueTeamCityBallparkCapacityManager1939 Major League Managers https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/majors/1939-managers.shtml 2025-02-05 Baseball Reference enAmerican League American LeagueBoston Red SoxBoston, MassachusettsFenway Park33,817Joe CroninChicago White SoxChicago, IllinoisComiskey Park51,000Jimmy DykesCleveland IndiansCleveland, OhioLeague Park22,500Ossie VittCleveland Stadium*78,811*Detroit TigersDetroit, MichiganBriggs Stadium58,000Del BakerNew York YankeesNew York, New YorkYankee Stadium71,699Joe McCarthy managerPhiladelphia AthleticsPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaShibe Park33,000Connie MackEarle MackSt. Louis BrownsSt. Louis, MissouriSportsman's Park34,023Fred HaneyWashington SenatorsWashington, D.C.Griffith Stadium32,000Bucky HarrisNational League National League (baseball) National LeagueBoston BeesBoston, MassachusettsNational League Park45,000Casey StengelBrooklyn DodgersNew York, New YorkEbbets Field35,000Leo DurocherChicago CubsChicago, IllinoisWrigley Field38,000Gabby HartnettCincinnati RedsCincinnati, OhioCrosley Field29,401Bill McKechnieNew York GiantsNew York, New YorkPolo Grounds51,856Bill TerryPhiladelphia PhilliesPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaShibe Park33,000Doc ProthroPittsburgh PiratesPittsburgh, PennsylvaniaForbes Field33,537Pie TraynorSt. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis, MissouriSportsman's Park34,023Ray Blades Standings start American League New York Yankees break National League Cincinnati Reds end Tie games 10 tie games (4 in AL, 6 in NL), which are not factored into winning percentage or games behind (and were often replayed again) occurred throughout the season. start American League Boston Red Sox, 1 Chicago White Sox, 1 Detroit Tigers, 1 New York Yankees, 1 Philadelphia Athletics, 1 St. Louis Browns, 2 Washington Senators, 1 break National League Boston Bees, 1 Brooklyn Dodgers, 4 Chicago Cubs, 2 Cincinnati Reds, 2 Philadelphia Phillies, 1 St. Louis Cardinals, 2 end Postseason The postseason began on October 4 and ended on October 8 with the New York Yankees sweeping the Cincinnati Reds in the 1939 World Series in four games. Bracket World Series AL New York Yankees 4 NL Cincinnati Reds 0 Managerial changes Off-season Team Former Manager New ManagerSt. Louis Browns Oscar Melillo Fred HaneyBrooklyn Dodgers Burleigh Grimes Leo DurocherPhiladelphia Phillies Hans Lobert Doc ProthroSt. Louis Cardinals Mike González Ray Blades In-season Team Former Manager New ManagerPhiladelphia Athletics Connie Mack Earle Mack League leaders American League start + Hitting leaders1939 American League Batting Leaders https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1939-batting-leaders.shtml 2025-02-05 Baseball Reference enStat PlayerTotal AVG Joe DiMaggio (NYY) .381 OPS Jimmie Foxx (BOS) 1.158 HR Jimmie Foxx (BOS) 35 RBI Ted Williams (BOS) 145 R Red Rolfe (NYY) 139 H Red Rolfe (NYY) 213 SB George Case (WSH) 51 break + Pitching leaders1939 American League Pitching Leaders https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1939-pitching-leaders.shtml 2025-02-05 Baseball Reference enStat PlayerTotal W Bob Feller (CLE) 24 L Vern Kennedy (SLB/DET) 20 ERA Lefty Grove (BOS) 2.54 K Bob Feller (CLE) 246 IP Bob Feller (CLE) 296.2 SV Johnny Murphy (NYY) 19 WHIP Ted Lyons (CWS) 1.089 end National League start + Hitting leaders1939 National League Batting Leaders https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/NL/1939-batting-leaders.shtml 2025-02-05 Baseball Reference enStat PlayerTotal AVG Johnny Mize (STL) .349 OPS Johnny Mize (STL) 1.070 HR Johnny Mize (STL) 28 RBI Frank McCormick (CIN) 128 R Billy Werber (CIN) 115 H Frank McCormick (CIN) 209 SB Stan Hack (CHC)Lee Handley (PIT) 17 break + Pitching leaders1939 National League Pitching Leaders https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/NL/1939-pitching-leaders.shtml 2025-02-05 Baseball Reference enStat PlayerTotal W Bucky Walters1 (CIN) 27 L Max Butcher (PIT/PHI)Bob Klinger (PIT) 17 ERA Bucky Walters1 (CIN) 2.29 K Claude Passeau (CHC/PHI)Bucky Walters1 (CIN) 137 IP Bucky Walters (CIN) 319.0 SV Clyde Shoun (STL) 9 WHIP Bucky Walters (CIN) 1.125 1 National League Triple Crown pitching winner end Milestones Batters Cycles List of Major League Baseball players to hit for the cycle Sam Chapman (PHA): Chapman hit for his first cycle and ninth in franchise history, on May 5 against the St. Louis Browns.http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1939/B05050SLA1939.htm Philadelphia Athletics 10, St. Louis Browns 5 1939-05-05 Retrosheet 2011-09-10 2015-09-24 https://web.archive.org/web/20150924125043/http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1939/B05050SLA1939.htm live Charlie Gehringer (DET): Gehringer hit for his first cycle, the fourth in franchise history, and fifth natural cycle in major league history on May 27 against the St. Louis Browns.http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1939/B05270DET1939.htm Detroit Tigers 12, St. Louis Browns 5 May 27, 1939 Retrosheet 2011-09-10 2015-09-24 https://web.archive.org/web/20150924125044/http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1939/B05270DET1939.htm live Arky Vaughan (PIT): Vaughan hit for his second cycle, the 11th in franchise history, and the fifth reverse cycle in major league history on July 19 against the New York Giants.http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1939/B07190NY11939.htm Pittsburgh Pirates 10, New York Giants 3 July 19, 1939 Retrosheet 2011-09-10 2015-09-24 https://web.archive.org/web/20150924125046/http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1939/B07190NY11939.htm live Other batting accomplishments Harry Danning / Frank Demaree / Burgess Whitehead / Manny Salvo / Jo-Jo Moore (NYG): Become the first group of players in Major League history to hit five home runs in one inning in the fourth inning against the Cincinnati Reds on June 6.Most home runs hit by a team in one inning of a Major League Baseball (MLB) game https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/500678-most-home-runs-hit-by-a-team-in-one-inning-of-a-major-league-baseball-mlb-game#:~:text=The%20Major%20League%20Baseball%20(MLB),recently%20by%20Houston%20Astros%20batters 2026-05-07 Guinness World RecordsCincinnati Reds vs New York Giants Box Score: June 6, 1939 https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NY1/NY1193906060.shtml 2026-05-07 Baseball Reference en Jim Tabor (BOS): Became the second player to hit two grand slams in a single game, in an 18–12 win over the Philadelphia Athletics in game two of a doubleheader on July 4.https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PHA/PHA193907042.shtml July 4, 1939 Boston Red Sox at Philadelphia Athletics Play by Play and Box Score Baseball Reference Sports Reference LLC 1939-07-04 2012-07-10 2021-01-24 https://web.archive.org/web/20210124083438/https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PHA/PHA193907042.shtml live Miscellaneous Lou Gehrig (NYY): Set a Major League record for most consecutive games at 2,130 on April 30. It would be the final game of his career. Awards and honors Regular season Baseball Writers' Association of America AwardsBBWAA AwardNational LeagueAmerican LeagueMost Valuable Player Bucky Walters (CIN) Joe DiMaggio (NYY) Other awards The Sporting News Awards Award National League American League Most Valuable PlayerMost Valuable Player Award by The Sporting News https://www.baseball-almanac.com/awards/aw_snmv.shtml 2025-01-14 Baseball Almanac Bucky Walters (CIN) Joe DiMaggio (NYY) Player of the YearMajor League Player of the Year Award by The Sporting News https://www.baseball-almanac.com/awards/aw_snml.shtml 2025-01-14 Baseball Almanac — Joe DiMaggio (NYY) Manager of the YearManager of the Year Award by The Sporting News https://www.baseball-almanac.com/awards/aw_snmy.shtml 2025-01-14 Baseball Almanac Leo Durocher (BRO) — Executive of the YearMLB Executive of the Year Award https://www.baseball-almanac.com/awards/aw_sney.shtml 2025-01-14 Baseball Almanac Larry MacPhail (BRO) — Baseball Hall of Fame National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum George Sisler Lou Gehrig Eddie Collins Willie Keeler Cap Anson Buck Ewing Charles Radbourn Charles Comiskey (executive/pioneer contributor) Candy Cummings (executive/pioneer contributor) Albert Spalding (executive/pioneer contributor) 1939 Baseball Hall of Fame balloting Home field attendance Team nameWins%± Percent changeHome attendance%± Percent changePer game Average home attendance per gameCincinnati Redshttps://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CIN/attend.shtml Cincinnati Reds Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors 2020-09-08 Baseball Reference9718.3%981,44338.9%12,117Brooklyn Dodgershttps://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/LAD/attend.shtml Los Angeles Dodgers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors 2020-09-08 Baseball Reference8421.7%955,66844.1%12,252New York Yankeeshttps://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/NYY/attend.shtml New York Yankees Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors 2020-09-08 Baseball Reference1067.1%859,785 −11.4%11,166Detroit Tigershttps://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/DET/attend.shtml Detroit Tigers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors 2020-09-08 Baseball Reference81 −3.6%836,2794.6%10,722Chicago Cubshttps://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CHC/attend.shtml Chicago Cubs Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors 2020-09-08 Baseball Reference84 −5.6%726,663 −23.6%9,083New York Giantshttps://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/SFG/attend.shtml San Francisco Giants Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors 2020-09-08 Baseball Reference77 −7.2%702,457 −12.2%9,493Chicago White Soxhttps://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CHW/attend.shtml Chicago White Sox Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors 2020-09-08 Baseball Reference8530.8%594,10475.6%7,716Boston Red Soxhttps://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/BOS/attend.shtml Boston Red Sox Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors 2020-09-08 Baseball Reference891.1%573,070 −11.4%7,641Cleveland Indianshttps://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CLE/attend.shtml Cleveland Indians Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors 2020-09-08 Baseball Reference871.2%563,926 −13.5%7,324St. Louis Cardinalshttps://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/STL/attend.shtml St. Louis Cardinals Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors 2020-09-08 Baseball Reference9229.6%400,24537.3%5,066Philadelphia Athleticshttps://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/OAK/attend.shtml Oakland Athletics Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors 2020-09-08 Baseball Reference553.8%395,0222.5%5,198Pittsburgh Pirateshttps://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/PIT/attend.shtml Pittsburgh Pirates Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors 2020-09-08 Baseball Reference68 −20.9%376,734 −41.2%4,893Washington Senatorshttps://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/MIN/attend.shtml Minnesota Twins Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors 2020-09-08 Baseball Reference65 −13.3%339,257 −35.1%4,406Boston Beeshttps://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/ATL/attend.shtml Atlanta Braves Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors 2020-09-08 Baseball Reference63 −18.2%285,994 −16.2%3,918Philadelphia Phillieshttps://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/PHI/attend.shtml Philadelphia Phillies Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors 2020-09-08 Baseball Reference450.0%277,97367.3%3,756St. Louis Brownshttps://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/BAL/attend.shtml Baltimore Orioles Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors 2020-09-08 Baseball Reference43 −21.8%109,159 −16.3%1,399 Venues Over 77 home games, the Cleveland Indians played 47 games at League Park and 30 games at Cleveland Stadium.Seamheads.com Ballparks Database — 1939 Season https://www.seamheads.com/ballparks/year.php?Year=1939 2025-11-12 www.seamheads.com This would be the 5th of 12 seasons since 1932 that saw the Indians play at both venues. Media Television The first Major League game is televised on August 26, when WXBS-TV broadcasts the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field.Pellowski Michael J The Little Giant Book of Baseball Facts 2007 Sterling Publishing Co United States 9781402742736 352 registration https://archive.org/details/littlegiantbooko0000pell/page/352 The two teams played a doubleheader that day, and the second game was also televised. Retired numbers Lou Gehrig had his No. 4 retired by the New York Yankees on July 4. This was the first number retired by the team and first retired number in MLB history. See also 1939 in baseball (Events, Births, Deaths) References External links 1939 Major League Schedule at Baseball Reference Category:Major League Baseball seasons Category:1939 in baseball